The Runes: A Guide to Rune Reading & Divination with The Elder Futhark & Viking Runes

"...a modern and up to date take on rune reading... the author seems to have a deep respect for the history of the runes and therefore attempts to portray them as accurately as possible." "His reflections on the rune poems are good and it is clear that they are made by someone who has a passion for what he is doing." - Night Spirit blog

A beginner to advanced rune guide

Rune reading is a tool for gaining insight. Some see it as divination-a way of tapping into hidden knowledge. Others use it for self-reflection or focusing intention. Consulting the runes can be like talking to an old friend: you may know the truth already, but sometimes you need to hear it before you believe it.

Before Christianity spread to northern Europe the indigenous peoples were Germanic tribes, like the Anglo-Saxons, Goths, and Norsemen. Runes were the letters of their alphabets. Over time these letters developed rich symbolic meanings, passed down through poems and myths. Like most pre-Christian cultures, the Germanic peoples were polytheistic, and they revered natural elements as sacred. When you pick up the runes you are entering a vibrant world, grounded in nature and the mysteries of life, yet full of heroes, gods, and mythology.

The Runes clearly explains each rune in its own chapter, giving plenty of examples of possible interpretations in a reading. The book also includes new, word-for-word translations of the Icelandic and Old English rune poems-two of the most important sources for our understanding of runes. By focusing purely on the meaning of each word instead of poetic style, these literal translations make a strong foundation for the rest of the book.

It's always tempting to focus more on the positive than the negative-and runes certainly are full of wonderful things, like love, hope, and courage-but it's clear from the poems that runes also have a dark side, and we know from history that the people who used them were both fearless and fearsome. This book doesn't leave anything out. All of the mystical light is there, and so is the fighting spirit. These runes will give you as much inspiration or challenge as you are looking for.